Untitled Dream
by sedarephs
Summary: Byakuya was newly promoted as captain and had an unexpected meeting with a girl. AU because Rukia was taken in by a mama-san of a tea house and became a geisha. Byakuya/Rukia, mentioned of Byakuya/Hisana. Warning, character death.


**Warning: Character death.**

**Disclaimer: The characters appearing in the following story are the properties of Kubo Tite.**

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Rukia looked out of the window as she was being prepared for her night. She had been bathed and now the maids were helping her dry her hair.

Full moon. If light had pressure, then the moon would be caressing her skin. The gentle white rays illuminated the evening, calling forth memories of tenderness from the one she loved. She felt a warmth enveloped her just thinking of him.

But dark clouds soon shadowed the moon and she was deprived of the beauty of this evening. It also brought her back to the reality where she would be sharing this evening with a stranger. She had agreed to undergo this tonight. It was her choice, but the pain in her heart would not go away. She put a hand on her chest and closed her eyes, wearing a small frown.

"Rukia, are you alright?" The maid asked her.

She nodded, eyes still closed and froze her heart to suppress the pain.

"If you are ready, your customer is waiting for you."

"I am ready."

Rukia opened the shoji door. The first thing she noticed was the futon on the floor. It had been a long time since she last did this, but normally, her customer would be waiting for her by the futon. Her customer tonight was no where to be found near it though. She looked around and saw him sitting in the dark by the window facing away from her. She squinted her eyes trying to get a better look. As if answering her wish, the dark clouds finally dispersed and she found herself staring into the back the man. He was wearing kenseikan and a pure white scarf.

"Kuchiki...Byakuya-sama." Rukia gasped.

She quickly regained her composure and bowed deeply. She heard the rustle of clothing signaling he had turned around.

"Come here, Rukia." Her lover said softly.

* * *

**_Eight years ago..._**

Kuchiki Byakuya walked out of the tea house and stood in the street of the seventeenth district, Akatsuki, in the southern part of Rukongai.

The night wind of autumn was pleasant and refreshing. Washing him clean of the perfume worn by the woman he had spent the night with. The street was populated by tea houses like the one he just came out of. The seventeenth district, Akatsuki, was known as the pleasure center of the soul society. One spent a reasonable amount of money in exchange for the company and entertainment provided by the geisha or the carnal pleasure of the beautiful courtesans. He had the fortune to enjoy both tonight.

Byakuya just got promoted to captain of the sixth division today. His senpai, Ukitake Jushiro and Kyoraku Shunsui had brought him here to celebrate the event at Tsubasa. Tsubasa was one of the most expensive tea houses in Akatsuki. What most people would consider to be a sinful amount of money could only buy the simplest of the services offered, but Kuchiki Byakuya was not most people. He came from the wealthiest and most ancient line of the soul society, so the three captains of the Goteijusantai had a most pleasant evening tonight.

It was worth it, Byakuya decided. The performances by the geisha were mediocre but the women certainly lived up to their reputation in beauty. He had not had the company of women for a while now, and the courtesan accompanying Byakuya tonight was the most celebrated _orian_ in the house. Even Ukitake and Kyoraku looked at him with envy when he left with the woman into the private room. Her touch was sensual, eliciting his carnal desire. Her skin was perfect and satin like beneath his heated flesh. Every part of her was feminine and soft, every man's dream for an evening of passion. Her seduction was incomparably erotic, driven him to a state of complete lust, eventually satisfying him with her body to the fullest.

Byakuya felt more relaxed than he had been for quite some time.

His scarf wrapped around his neck was gently swaying with the wind. Ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu, the heirloom passed down generation to generation to the head of the Kuchiki family. He touched the kenseikan tucked inside his sleeves. It was taken off by the courtesan earlier this evening. Both items symbolizing his nobility and reminded him of his duty to the family at the same time. Starting today, he also had a new duty to the Goteijusantai. Byakuya did not resent his duties. In fact, he considered them to be his pride and enjoyed fulfilling them to the best of his abilities. But everyman needed their relaxation, and Byakuya considered tonight to be his just dues.

Byakuya had walked toward the outskirt of the district and found a mass of forest not too far away from him.

It was a beautiful evening. The full moon cast a soft glow on everything it touched. He should head back to the Kuchiki estate and enjoyed the rest of the evening in the peace and quiet of the Kuchiki garden after his night of passion. However, the darkness and mystique of the forest called to him. On an impulse, Byakuya shunpoed to the edge of the forest and headed inside to observe the wilderness so different from the zen garden in his mansion.

It was abnormally cold.

As Byakuya drew closer and closer to what he assumed to be the centre of the forest, the air seemed to become colder with every step he took. He felt a small reiatsu that must be the source of the coldness. Sounds of laughter could be heard. Intrigued, Byakuya hid his reiatsu and approached the person in silence.

A young girl danced in the clearing.

Wisps of ice enveloping her in snow white glory and moving about at her command. Byakuya could feel her reiatsu pulsating softly against the air. She continued her dance without noticing Byakuya's presence at all, and he stood there in the shadowing watching her, following her every move.

He recognized the dances, they were those often performed by geisha. But the girl, in her simple white kimono embroidered with pink petals, exuded nothing like the geisha's studied seductions but of a grace more natural and pure. Her movements were fluid like water, and obviously one of the master dancers.

Byakuya was so entranced by her dances that he failed to detect the appearance of a hollow. The hollow was attracted here by the reiatsu of the girl, and it struck out at her. Byakuya watched in amazement when the girl deftly dodged its sharp fan. He placed his hand on the hilt of his zanpakutou and continued his observation.

The hollow was weak, but the girl was untrained. After a couple of parries between the girl and the hollow, Byakuya found that she was using the snow and ice to distract the hollow instead of killing it. There was a certain beauty in the way she fought, almost as if she was continuing her dance. But if this fight continued, either the girl tired out first or the hollow gave up. Byakuya relaxed his pose and removed his hand from the hilt, judging from the way they were fighting, the hollow would probably lose its interest first, but Byakuya decided to intervene nevertheless.

"Hadou no yon, byakurai." A powerful lightening shot out from Byakuya's finger and the hollow was engulfed in its white light.

The girl turned toward him and Byakuya stepped out from the shadow into the moonlight.

"Kidou..." Byakuya felt her gaze sizing him up and down, "And zanpakutou...shinigami."

Byakuya continued to move closer to the girl until he was standing about two meters away from her. She was much shorter than him, thin but lithe, and her eyes were the most amazing part of her. They were a vibrant shade of violet.

"I think it will go away eventually." The girl said, "But thank you still. I'm glad you passed by here and dealt with it once and for all."

The girl had an direct attitude about her but did not lose her politeness.

"I was watching you dance." He didn't mean to be so frank, but somehow the words just came out of his mouth.

"Uh..." The girl looked slightly embarrassed by his words.

"I sensed your reiatsu and saw the snow." Byakuya said by way of explanation, "Are you a student in the Shinoreijutsuin?"

"Oh...uh...no..." There was a mixture of reluctance and wistfulness in her voice that Byakuya found odd.

"What is your name?" Byakuya had unconsciously adopted an authoritative tone.

"Rukia." She said.

"Family name?" Byakuya asked again.

"Just Rukia...If I had a family name I don't know about it." Seeing Byakuya's confused expression, the girl elaborated, "I came to soul society as a baby and when I was found, there was only a paper with 'Rukia' written on it."

"Your new family didn't give you their name?" Byakuya asked.

"Sir, I don't think it is necessary for me to answer all these questions, do I?" Rukia frowned.

He knew it was not customary for a stranger to ask so many questions, but Byakuya was used to people obeying his orders and answering his questions. Old habits died hard, but he was also genuinely interested in the girl in front of him. She felt different from all the other women he had ever met, possibly because she didn't know who he was.

"Your reiatsu was good enough. You should join the shinigamis." Byakuya said.

He was surprised to see her smiled ruefully and shook her head.

"This is your choice, of course, but hollows tend to be attracted to people with reiatsu." Byakuya tried again.

"I can't." Rukia said simply.

"Why?" Byakuya demanded.

Rukia sighed and looked away. Byakuya found it strange sense of disappointment to suddenly lose sight of her violet eyes. She took a few steps away from him and a fire ball appear on her hand. She had created it with her reiatsu. Byakuya inwardly thought that she would be a talented Kidou user with some training.

"You said you saw me dance." Byakuya nodded, "Doesn't it remind you of something?"

Byakuya was not quite sure how to answer the question, and Rukia continued.

"I'm a geisha." Rukia said, "The owner found me on the street and brought me back to the...tea house, that was why there was no need for a family name."

Women in the tea house were rarely referred to by their family name even if they had one, and Byakuya knew that.

Then Byakuya understood. The Shinoreijutsuin banned the admittance of geishas and courtesans, because long ago there used to be fights between the students and people outside of the school over their women. The situation continued for a long time until the central forty six considered such incidents to be detrimental to the image of the shinigami and eventually they decreed that geishas and courtesans were not allowed to be admitted into the school.

"You could still join the shinigami." Rukia looked at him, surprised.

"The Goteijusantai does not care where you are from, as long as you're useful and can fight. If you can defeat three shinigamis in a row then you can join in."

"Defeat three shinigamis." Rukia said with a small frown.

"I can train you."

Rukia appeared to be excited about the idea, but something obviously clouded her mind and Byakuya saw the wistfulness he had observed previously came back in her eyes. She smiled sadly and said.

"Thank you, but I think...this life is not so unbearable."

Byakuya studied the woman in front of her. It was really not his business how the woman lived her life. She was interesting, but the life of a commoner and the head of one of the four noble families normally wouldn't cross path, let alone someone from Rukongai. He decided he had done all that he could.

"Then be careful on your own out here, Rukia." Byakuya did not wait for her reply before he shunpoed away.

* * *

"Rukia! Have you heard?" A fellow geisha, Tomoe, opened the shoji door of her room.

"About what?" Rukia turned to look at the younger girl.

"Several weeks ago, my friend said she danced for the most handsome man she had ever seen." Tomoe said excitedly.

"Yes, I think you told me about it. At Tsubasa right?" Rukia said, "What about it?"

"It turned out that he was one of the head of the four noble houses." Tomoe had a dreamy look in her eyes, "Oh...to meet someone like that and fall in love with him."

"Did he fall in love with her? I thought you said he was so handsome that your friend almost tripped over herself." Rukia commented dryly.

"Well, yes and he didn't fall in love with her, but we can always dream right?" Tomoe still looked half-dazed.

"It's just too unrealistic for me that's all." Rukia shrugged, "I doubt people from the four noble houses would ever think of the like of us seriously."

"You can be very sombre at times, Rukia." Tomoe frowned at her, but a smile quickly replaced it, "At least I can dream about falling in love with a very handsome man."

Tomoe left her room with that. Leaving Rukia to her thoughts.

"A very handsome man..." She said to herself.

Her thoughts turned idly to the stranger she met several weeks ago. That shinigami was very handsome, but she did not even know his name.

Rukia looked at her image in the mirror. She was not those classically beautiful women. Her figure was too small and too slim to entice most men, that was why the mama-san trained her to be a geisha instead of a courtesan, although she...

"Haha..." Rukia laughed sadly, "No, no chance at all."

* * *

Byakuya sat on the engawa outside of his room and looked out into his private garden. He had finished his work and changed out of his uniform and taken off his kenseikan to relax. Listening to the sound of water flowing, he watched the moon's reflection in the river. It was nearly full moon.

He met the girl named Rukia on a night similar to this. It was also a Tuesday.

Byakuya closed his eyes and the image of her dancing with the snow fleeted over his mind. He wondered if she was safe. People in Rukongai often become prey to the hollows especially when they possessed spiritual power.

He knew he shouldn't waste his energy thinking about something that was not his duty, but tonight simply reminded him of her. The pure whiteness of the moon rays. The purple robe he was wearing.

The report on a hollow attack on the outskirt of Akatsuki he read earlier tonight.

Byakuya stood up and went into his room to retrieve his zanpakutou.

* * *

Byakuya found her dancing in the moonlight again. He stared at her graceful form before turning to leave. He stopped after a few steps.

She was laughing again. The sound was low and filled with such freedom and joy. He had not laughed like that for a very long time.

Byakuya hesitated before turning back and walked into the clearing. Sensing his reiatsu, she stopped immediately.

"You." Rukia said. He had never given her his name.

"You truly danced very well." Byakuya said.

Rukia was surprised by his comment and only nodded her thanks.

"As a geisha, you certainly had a lot of free time in the evening. Shouldn't you be entertaining the guests?"

"Oh, no. Tuesday is my day off, so I come here." Rukia said.

"You worked as a dancer, but still dance to relax?" Byakuya asked.

"Do you not train when you are not working?" Rukia answered his question with a question.

"Hn. Fair enough."

"Besides, I can't dance with the snow in the tea house." Rukia smiled at him and Byakuya thought her smile look genuinely happy.

He did not reply and simply stood there watching her. Rukia eventually grew uncomfortable with the silence.

"May I ask what are you doing here tonight?"

"I read a report about some hollow incidents." Byakuya said, still couldn't quite take his eyes away from her violet eyes, "I wanted to ask you if you wish to train."

Rukia's eyes widened a bit.

"I thought I said I don't plan on becoming a shinigami."

"I still remember, but somehow the idea that someone could be attacked by a hollow without any defense disturbs my peace of mind."

"I'm sorry to cause you so many trouble." Rukia's sarcasm was not lost on him but he ignored her, "There were a lot of people out here in Rukongai who needs the protection of the shinigamis, not just me."

"Yes, but I've never met anyone of them." Byakuya said almost arrogantly.

Rukia was at a lost of words. The stranger in front of her was both caring and indifferent at the same time.

"Are you a noble?" Rukia suddenly asked.

Byakuya looked surprised.

"I thought so." Rukia continued before he could acquiesce or deny it, "Only a noble man could act like this."

"Like what?"

"Like people don't exist as long as they are out of sight."

Byakuya did not try to deny it.

"But I accept your offer." Rukia looked at him again smiling a little, "It truly would be easier if I could defeat the hollows."

Byakuya nodded in agreement.

"The first thing we should do is to materialized your zanpakutou. Now sit down and focus yourself..."

"Wait. We're starting tonight." Rukia's looked at him with her big violet eyes and Byakuya felt himself falling into her gaze.

"Unless you have other plans for the evening. Shinigami training is not easy and usually takes years."

"Uh, no, not really." Rukia shook her head and sat down, "I guess you're right. We should proceed then."

Byakuya sat down on the ground facing her.

"Tried to centre yourself. You can start by tuning your breathing..."

Rukia did as he instructed. She slowed her breathing and felt her heart slowing into a steady beat at his command. She could feel her reiatsu flow through her body, slowly coming in sync with her being and she closed her eyes. Feeling for the first time, completely at ease with herself.

There was something about his voice. The deep baritone, it was soothing, gentle but commanding, as if all his life people obeyed his will. He occasionally reached out to place his hand on her shoulder, correcting her form or preventing her from becoming too comfortable and falling into sleep. At those moments, Rukia would caught a whiff of sakura blossom, and she laughed inwardly to herself. Why would a man have such a flowery scent.

It was well past midnight when Byakuya told her it's time to stop for the day. She opened her eyes and found herself looking into his eyes. Grey eyes, mysterious and so beautiful. Rukia blinked, realizing what she was thinking and quickly stood up avoiding his gaze. Byakuya stood up calmly.

"Same time next week?" He asked.

"Yes, unless..." Rukia bit back her words, but Byakuya had already heard her.

"Unless?"

"I cannot guarantee that I can come here every week." Rukia said.

"Why?"

Rukia sighed. It would come up one of these days, and something about this man made her feel like he wouldn't give up before she came out with the whole truth.

"If the tea house was too _busy,_ I had to stay and help out at times." Rukia stressed the word busy, hoping that she wouldn't have to spell her circumstances out loud.

Byakuya understood and looked at her with an appraising look.

"And you still chose not to leave that place?"

"It happened very rarely. Sometimes not even once in several years." Rukia had turned her back to him, "I would understand if you choose not to associate yourself with someone tainted like me."

Byakuya stared at her back. She really was a strange girl, but who was he to judge. Her life was really her business. As long as he could sleep without wondering if someone he knew was out there threatened by hollows, then it was enough.

"Around eight then."

When Rukia turned to look at him, she was greeted with only a gust of wind. She sighed and said to the empty space.

"What's your name?"

* * *

Byakuya stood on the edge of the engawa, debating whether he should go meet Rukia or not tonight. It was almost nine. He was already late.

He had no obligations to Rukia.

Even though it was implied, he did not make any promise that he would go there after all.

He highly doubted that they would ever cross path again. From her clothing and what she had said, she did not work in any of the higher end tea houses.

Besides, nobles should not involve themselves with the affairs of the commoners. They should keep their distances, because when the commoners got close to the nobles, they always wanted something. Money, power, you named it. But Rukia did not ask him for anything.

He was the one who made the offer.

Byakuya had been wondering constantly to himself why he was so interested in Rukia for the past week. Perhaps he actually did care about others' welfare. Perhaps it was because he seldom met anyone from the Rukongai. Perhaps it was her dark violet eyes.

They were indeed unusual.

And he wanted to see them again.

Byakuya entered his room and changed out of his shihakusho and took off the kenseikan.

* * *

Rukia turned around when she heard someone approaching the clearing. It was that shinigami again.

It was already half past nine. She was slightly disappointed when she realized that he probably wasn't going to show up after waiting for him for one hour. She thought that he had regretted his decision about training her, but she understood, albeit bitterly.

But he had come. The expression on his face was difficult even for some one like her, who made a living by observing others' mood and needs, to read. She shrugged to herself and close her eyes to center herself.

"You weren't dancing tonight?" Byakuya's voice interrupted her concentration.

"I practice dancing very often, but don't have a lot of time to do this." Rukia's finger pointed at the ground indicating what she had been trying to accomplish on her own.

Byakuya did not apologize for his tardiness, but Rukia wasn't planning on asking either. He stood over her for a short while before settling down in front of her, on the blanket that she had laid out on the ground. He watched her closed her eyes again and felt her reiatsu began to whirled around her in harmony in a matter of seconds.

"You've been practicing this." Byakuya commented.

"Yes, it calmed me, so I tried it every night before I went to bed." Rukia's eyes were still close.

"You seemed to be a natural with kidou. Perhaps this will go faster than I expected." Byakuya said blandly, "Before you can materialized your zanpakutou, we could even start with some kidou."

A bright smile blossomed on her face when he said that she was a natural. Rukia saw that Byakuya's grey eyes seemed to flicker a little when he saw her smile. He really had a very handsome face, Rukia decided. She then noticed that he was wearing a pale green kimono and a white haori. They seemed to be made of the finest fabric and look very soft to the touch. She was reminded of the differences between their statuses. Her smile faded a little.

"I will teach you some of the lower level spells first." Byakuya looked away from her and pointed at a log near by, "Hadou no ichi, sho."

The log was pushed away from them.

"Now you try." Byakuya commanded her.

"Hadou no ichi, sho." Rukia repeated his movement and his words.

The log was pushed away again, but not as far. Rukia marveled at the sensation of her reiryoku focusing on her fingertip. Byakuya gave her a calculating gaze.

"Bakudou no ichi, sai." Rukia's hands were suddenly locked behind her back.

"Hey!" Rukia protested, "At least give me a warning."

Without any expression, Byakuya waved his hand and released her. With her hands free to move about once more, Rukia gave him a hard look and immediately said.

"Bakudou no ichi, sai."

But Byakuya's hands did not budge at all. Rukia frowned and looked at him questioningly.

"You are not skilled enough yet, and my reiatsu is much stronger, so you can not over power me with that spell."

"Does that mean kidou spells would be useless on enemies that have stronger reiatsu than I do?" Rukia asked.

"Ultimately, all forms of shinigami fighting depend on one's reiatsu, but with some variations and practice, one could still subdue enemies that have stronger reiatsu." Byakuya said, "At the beginning of the training in kidou spells, you can also use incantation to strengthen the power."

They spent the evening practicing incantations and incorporating them into various different kidou. Rukia could tell that Byakuya was slightly surprised though he hid it well, when she performed the thirty first hadou spell, shakkahou, with the incantation on the first try. The fire ball had struck the target log and it exploded into bits. Rukia decided that she like kidou a lot.

"I think that is enough for the evening." Byakuya looked at the sky and judged that it was well past midnight already, "Continue practicing gathering your reiryoku around you if you have time."

Rukia picked up the blanket and started folding it. Byakuya just stood there and watched her.

"Um...Thank you." Rukia said to him when Byakuya turned to leave after he saw her finished gathering her things.

He turned his head and nodded at her and was about to shunpoed away when Rukia suddenly grabbed his arm.

Byakuya stared her hand on his arm and Rukia dropped it quickly. A commoner shouldn't touch a noble without their permission. It could mean death if the noble felt that he was offended.

"I'm sorry..." Rukia looked at him uncomfortably, not sure how he would react, "But you never told me your name."

"Byakuya." He answered.

Rukia looked at him in surprise. She didn't understand why he had not given her his family name. She was absolutely certain that the man in front of her was a noble, and it was highly improper for someone like her to address him by his given name. Yet it didn't look like he was about to say anything else.

"Thank you, Byakuya-sama." She said tentatively.

It looked like he was about to say something else, and Rukia waited, but he obviously changed his mind and said simply.

"Goodnight, Rukia." With that, he was gone.

* * *

Byakuya steadily taught Rukia on kidou and reaching her inner world. Over the past two months, she had improved greatly on kidou. Byakuya would arrive at the clearing at around eight and he often found Rukia already waiting for him. Somehow he always felt a slight disappointment to find that she was not dancing but instead practicing kidou spells or gathering her reiatsu.

They would attempt to materialize her zanpakutou tonight. According to her, she sometimes saw a woman fleeting in and out of her sight, but they never tried to converse or interact with each other. But that part could come later. A shinigami needed only to find their zanpakutou to materialized the sword.

"Focus and go into your inner world." Byakuya instructed her, "Find your power."

"Find my power?" Rukia asked.

"Yes, it varies from person to person how they found it." Byakuya said, "This is your test as the first step into becoming a shinigami."

Rukia seemed to consider his words, and she looked at him uncertainly before she spoke up again.

"Can you tell me how you found yours?"

Byakuya was surprised by her question but he hid his surprise from Rukia. He had never shared that part of him with anyone, partly because it was expected for the Kuchiki heir to posses such power so no one had asked him before, and partly because he didn't quite understand his experience either.

"I had a dream when I was still a child." He looked at his zanpakutou and felt Senbonzakura's reiatsu emanating from the sheath with him reminiscing about their past.

"A man knelt in front of me and handed me the sword telling me its name." Byakuya closed his eyes, "I unsheathed the sword and when I woke up, it laid next to me."

Rukia stared at him first and then smiled crookedly.

"I should have guessed. The way you acted like everything should obey you and listen to your command. Figure that your sword would decide to just submit to you." Rukia's eyes were clear and bright with laughter behind them, "But you must be a genius then."

Byakuya made no reply. Rukia adopted a more serious expression and said.

"I will try now." Byakuya lost sight of her beautiful violet eyes when she closed her eyes, "And thank you for sharing that with me, Byakuya-sama."

It was up to her now, and Byakuya simply sat watching her silently.

She had said his name again and Byakuya couldn't help and wonder at the absurdity of the situation. He, the head of one of the four noble houses, was addressed by a commoner in such an informal way, even though she had added the honorary.

He did not know why, but he couldn't form the words as he looked into the expectant gaze of her violet eyes when she asked him his name. Somehow it felt like she would change if he told her his name. Like she would behave differently if she found out that he was not just any noble, but _the_ noble.

It was interesting to be around her. She was so free and different. Perhaps he just wanted a normal friend. A friend that he could be free with. Like Yoruichi before she went away. He was very surprised when she retaliated and tried the binding spell on him when he first taught it to her. No one had ever dared do that to him. Byakuya knew that Rukia was not completely comfortable with him. She knew that he was a noble and probably acted more respectfully around him than she would normally do. But at least she did not tremble in fear like so many others, be them shinigamis or nobles. That was enough for Byakuya, and he wasn't going to risk their strange friendship, this semi-relax atmosphere with Rukia over a slight technicality. He didn't lie to her about his identity and she never asked him for details. It wasn't even a half truth, it was just strategic omission.

Rukia had an intense concentration on her face, and he wondered if she would find her zanpakutou.

Byakuya waited.

Minutes passed and Byakuya found himself observing Rukia closely. She really was a small woman. It was amazing that so much energy can be stored in such a small body. She was also quite thin, her figure slim giving her an appearance to be younger than she actually was. Byakuya thought that she probably didn't eat well while growing up. Her expression was often not soft, like most of the women Byakuya knew, but serious and almost hard at times.

'But she is pretty.' Byakuya thought to himself, watching her elegant face and her gracefully curved neck.

Before his eyes could travel any further, Byakuya sensed a change in Rukia's reiatsu. It had intensified. He got up and took a step back just in time when Rukia pulled out her sword. Rukia opened her eyes and saw the tip of her sword pointing at Byakuya. She paid no attention to him and touched the blade with her hand, her fingers running along the edge, as if testing it's sharpness. Then she looked up at him, an excited expression on her face.

"I did it!" A big smile plastered on her face.

"It took you longer than I expected." Byakuya's face was as impassive as ever. He knew she probably expected him to say something congratulatory but it was not in his nature to say such things, so he watched her face fell.

"Well, of course it's long. When I entered my inner world today, I found it was turned into an ice labyrinth." Rukia sheathed her zanpakutou, "I had to pass through it before I saw the woman I told you about."

A labyrinth, Byakuya was surprised to hear that. One's inner world generally reflected the personality of the shinigami. He had always thought that the girl in front of him was straight forward and direct, but apparently she was more complicated than he thought.

'Self doubts? Or maybe troubles in her mind? But it was not my business.' Byakuya thought to himself.

"I think this will be enough for the day." Rukia looked surprised at his words.

"Obtaining your zanpakutou drained your reiryoku, so practicing kidou is not a good idea. The next thing to do would be your kenjutsu skills, but you are not dressed for it today." Byakuya pointed his chin at her kimono, "Next time, dressed in hakama so you can move more freely."

"I see." Rukia looked down at her attire as well.

Byakuya thought that it was probably time to leave, but for reasons unknown to him, he felt reluctant to leave when he had barely spent an hour with Rukia today. He told himself that it was probably because the time with her always made him unwind and relax.

"Did you talk to your zanpakutou?" He knew that it was unlikely that her zanpakutou told her its name but he just wanted to buy some time, even only a little, with her.

Rukia nodded.

"She didn't tell me her name, but..."Rukia gave him a strange expression, "She said she talked to your zanpakutou though."

Byakuya couldn't hide his surprise this time and his hand flew to Senbonzakura. This is one other thing he had never told Rukia. The name of his zanpakutou. She would easily find out who he was if she knew. Perhaps one day it would come up if he demonstrated his shikai to her, but that would be months or maybe years later. Rukia was not ready to attempt her shikai yet.

"What did she say?" Byakuya asked.

"She said that your zanpakutou..." Rukia bit her lips, "said that you wanted to see me dance."

Byakuya's grip tightened on Senbonzakura. Surely no one would know that except for his own zanpakutou. What he couldn't fathom was why would Senbonzakura betray his master's secret to someone both of them barely knew, and that he did not know that his zanpakutou could meet with Rukia's zanpakutou even before her zanpakutou materialized and achieve its shikai.

"Did he say something else?"

"No, according to her, that's all your zanpakutou said." Rukia tilted her head, "Actually, her precise words were 'that arrogant zanpakutou demanded it, saying that it was the least your mistress could do to repay the waste of my master's precious time, and then he just left.'"

Byakuya stared at her, unsure of what his response should be.

"Somehow it sounded like something your zanpakutou would say..." Rukia muttered to herself, but loud enough for him to hear.

They stood there, awkwardly, until Rukia broke the silence.

"Well, since it's still early, I'm going to dance a little before I went back to the tea house. You can stay and watch if you want to." Rukia said, not meeting his eyes.

"Hn." Byakuya was still too stunned to answer. He simply sat down on the blanket again.

Rukia quietly walked away and started dancing. Her movements were stiff in the beginning because of the awkwardness just moments before, but she quickly became engrossed in her dance, wisps of snow moved with her hands, her body turning ever so elegantly. Byakuya looked at her, not realizing that his gaze had become soft and tender.

But he realized that he had made a mistake earlier.

Rukia was not pretty.

She was beautiful.

* * *

They had continued their routine for more than one year now. They met every Tuesday in the woods outside of Akatsuki and trained. Except for two incidents when Byakuya was sent on a mission, they had not missed a meeting.

Byakuya steadily taught Rukia zankensoki. She learnt kidou and shunpo quickly, but her zanjutsu and hakuda still left much to be desired. They would spar, in a combinations of swords, speed and kidou. He rarely used hakuda because Rukia was simply too small compared to his stature. It was an unfamiliar sense of guilt and reluctance that he had never experienced before. Normally he would not think twice before striking down an opponent even weaker than Rukia. They would also venture deeper into the woods at times to fight real hollows. Rukia could hold her own very well now with lower level hollows.

After their spar, Byakuya would heal Rukia's wounds. Rukia was quite good at healing spell, as was expected from her ability with kidou, but it was exhausting fighting against Byakuya despite him holding back. He was, after all, a captain, and one of the strongest in the history of soul society, although Rukia was still in the dark about his identity. There was always something during those quiet moments when he performed the healing spells. That simple act felt more intimate than anything he had shared with anyone before. Rukia seemed to feel the same way, and she would chatter incessantly during those moments to cover up the awkwardness. Then Rukia would dance.

They never voiced it out loud but both knew that the dance was for him.

Byakuya would stay to watch and slip away quietly before she finished her dance.

Rukia was quite attune to his reiatsu now, and she would finish the last of her steps and whisper to the thin air.

"Goodnight, Byakuya-sama."

* * *

"Byakuya, the elders have decided that it's time for you to take a wife and produce an heir." Ginrei said to Byakuya, who was playing go with him. Byakuya was using black stones and Ginrei was using the white stones.

Byakuya knew that this day would come, but he never expected it to be so soon. He was not two hundred years old yet, but he shouldn't have been surprised. He was the last of the line.

"Have the elders decided on the woman yet?" He also knew that he wouldn't have much choice on the matter.

"They have made a list of possible candidates." Ginrei took a sip of his tea and placed a white stone, capturing five of Byakuya's black stones, "You may choose whomever you find acceptable from that list."

That would be the most freedom he would have. If he was lucky, he would be able to find someone that he could learn to love, like his grandfather. Ginrei met his wife also by introduction through the elders, but they fell in love and had a very happy marriage together.

"What if I fail to find a wife in all of them?"

"The list is quite long, actually. If you choose one from the more distinguished family, it would be better, but as long as it is someone with a background of nobility, the elders would bend to your will."

Ginrei nodded appreciatively when Byakuya placed a black stone on the board and capturing many of Ginrei's white stones.

"Or do you have someone in mind already?" Ginrei asked, studying the board.

Byakuya had played the game well, the best Ginrei could do now would be a draw, but even that was unlikely.

"No." Byakuya answered blandly, "There is no such person."

"Then the first miai would be three days later." Ginrei made a last attempt for a draw, "We would have tea at the lady's household."

"Three days...that would be Tuesday." Byakuya paused and accidentally placed his black stone on the wrong position.

"Is there a conflict?" Ginrei frowned at Byakuya's obvious mistake.

Ginrei looked up when Byakuya did not respond immediately, but Byakuya's grey eyes were trained on the board, seemingly pondering his next move.

"No, I should be free next Tuesday." Byakuya said simply.

The grandson and grandfather continued their game in silence. Eventually Byakuya bid his grand father goodnight and left to retire for the evening.

Ginrei sat alone staring at the board in front of him. Byakuya would surely have won a landslide victory if he had not placed that stone on the wrong position after he mentioned the date of the miai. Even then, Byakuya should still win. It was most unlike Byakuya, it was as if he was distracted. He looked at the board again.

Byakuya had lost the game, completely.

* * *

Byakuya found Rukia still training alone. She turned to face him when she felt his reiatsu.

"I thought you probably went on a mission."

He clashed swords with her.

"In a way I did."

Rukia took note of his fine silk clothing.

"Did you go to an expensive party or something? How can that be a mission?" Rukia smiled slightly, "Hadou no san ju san, Sokatsui."

Blue spiritual energy erupted from Rukia's hand, aiming at Byakuya, but he shunpoed behind her and she felt the cold tip of his blade on her neck. She turned quickly to clash swords with him again but Byakuya had not expected this and his blade cut her neck.

"Concentrate, please." Rukia put down her zanpakutou and pressed her hand on her neck to stop the bleeding, "I almost lost my head there."

Byakuya considered saying that he was too fast for that to happen, but he only approached her and point his finger at her neck to heal the wound.

"Thank you." Rukia said after the sensation of the warm healing spell dissipated, she looked up into his eyes, "Could any party be so bad that you had to take it out on me?"

"It was a miai." Byakuya said bluntly.

He was standing close to Rukia because of the healing spell, but now that it's done, he didn't step back to give Rukia space. Rukia didn't back away either and Byakuya found himself at the receiving end of the strangest gaze Rukia had ever given him. Thousands of emotions seemed to flash through her eyes before he could comprehend them one by one. She turned away and said in a light tone.

"How bad could it be? She can't be that ugly." Rukia sat down on the blanket and faced him again, with a grin.

Byakuya stood a few steps away from the blanket and studied her. He wasn't sure what he wanted to see on her face but he felt disappointed. He walked toward her and sat down an arm away from her.

"She was very beautiful, but...very boring."

Rukia gave a soft laugh.

"I'm sure after you get to know her better, the situation will improve." Rukia said.

Byakuya sighed and Rukia looked at him curiously.

"There are still many more candidates to go through."

Rukia stared at him, her eyes big and there was almost a teasing look in them.

"You must come from a very important family, to have so many women to choose from."

Byakuya stayed silent.

"So! Maybe you should gather them all together and do all the miai in one sitting. That will make it faster. Oh...but maybe you're afraid that they would start tearing each other apart?" Rukia laughed.

Byakuya gave her an annoyed look.

They stayed seated next to each other in silence, not looking at one another

"I wish you all the best." Rukia said suddenly.

Byakuya looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

"In finding a suitable wife and love." She said the last part quietly.

"Thank you, Rukia." Byakuya felt dejected for no good reason.

"How long do you think you still have?" Rukia asked, "I mean before you get married."

"Maybe a year or two." Byakuya said, "Why? Does it matter?"

"I was just thinking." Rukia fingered her sword by her waist, "Once you get married, it would be inappropriate to meet like this."

None of them really wanted to point out that it wasn't entirely appropriate for them to meet like this now anyway.

"I wanted to achieve shikai before..." Rukia trailed off.

"Yes." Byakuya nodded, "I would love to see your shikai too."

He understood the words that Rukia had swallowed down her throat. He couldn't say it either, that they could not meet again.

Rukia was his friend. That was right. That was why he felt sad and dispirited to think that he would loose her after his marriage.

'Yes, like Yoruichi' Byakuya thought to himself, he's going to loose his only friend in this world once again.

* * *

"My son will have his miai tomorrow." The customer said to his friend.

Rukia's hand shook slightly upon hearing those words. Miai, according to Byakuya, he also had another miai tonight. She placed the tea in front of the customers and went to play some tunes for them.

It's been more than six months since the first time he told her about his miai. They never talked about it for long, except when Byakuya knew beforehand if a meeting would take place on Tuesday. He pushed them off to the other days of the week as best as he could. He rarely told her about the outcome, unless something bizarre happened and he would tell her the incident in his wry sense of humour. However, judging by his expression whenever the topic was mentioned, none of them were successful.

Rukia never truly fit in with her friends at the tea house. When they found out that she was different from the others, when they realized that she would be hungry, she became the outsider. The mama-san was kind enough to keep her there, and in gratitude to her providing food and shelter all these years, Rukia did not object when she asked her to become a geisha to earn her own keep. Neither did she cry when she was asked to sell her body for the first time. Rukia had thought that it was all that there was for her life.

Until she met Byakuya.

Rukia's hands wavered and missed a beat on her instrument. He had shown her what she could do. He had given her power that she had not imagined before. He had opened the door to the world outside of the tea house, and Rukia felt lost. If only she had known that world earlier, then her life would be so much more different.

Her life was changed because of him. Rukia's mind wondered to thoughts of him. Byakuya had a lot of faults. Mainly too arrogant, and he cared about no one else.

'But he cares about me.' Rukia thought, 'Even if only a little, but he cares. At least enough that he considers me to be a friend...'

"The girl is from a merchant's family." The customer's voice interrupted her thought, "Not exactly on the same level as mine, but her family is too rich to refuse."

Right. Even the commoners cared about classes and wealth. Just imagine what the nobles would be like. Rukia continued her drumming. Byakuya was a noble. She was less than a commoner. Nothing would ever happen between the two of them, but she could not help it. There was no way that she would not fall in love with him. She had become attached to the scent of sakura blossoms.

She knew it was foolish, but she was in love with him. She had felt the stab of jealousy when he told her about his miai, when he told her that he would get married to another woman. Rukia had known that she had fallen in love with him long before that day and accepted that it would always be a dream. Yet, she still wanted to cry that day, but she held her tears back.

Sometimes Rukia thought that it probably would have been better if she never met him. He changed her life, but not for the better. Rukia had looked into a world that she would never belong, and met a man she was never meant to love or be loved.

It was like quicksands Every time they met under the moonlight she sunk a little more but she didn't even have the will to crawl out. She would drown and enjoy in the process. Until the day he had to leave her.

* * *

"Rukia?" Byakuya arrived at the clearing and found her missing.

Rukia usually was already practicing when he arrived, but he was earlier than usual today. His grandfather was summoned by the king of the Soul Society and left for the royal palace. Byakuya therefore finished his dinner quickly and had come to the woods.

He stood there waiting for her. Rukia was very close to achieving her shikai now, and he often wondered about what it would be like. It would most likely be a kidou type zanpakutou, probably an ice type. He thought it would suit her just right. Senbonzakura agreed with him. Byakuya had not shown Rukia his shikai form. He had told her that he would show it to her only after she reached hers. Rukia had looked at him with the oddest of look. He could tell that she wanted to ask him what he was hiding, but she held herself back.

Rukia should be here already. It was already half past eight, and Byakuya thought with irritation that it was unlike her to be late. It was Tuesday after all. She had told him long ago that she did not have to dance on Tuesday. The younger girls that Rukia were training would substitute her for Tuesday so that Rukia could rest. Except when the tea house was...

...busy.

As in short of courtesans.

Byakuya felt his chest constricted painfully, and he staggered backwards as if struck.

He took several deep breaths to calm himself, but it was of no use. Jealousy consumed him and Byakuya covered his eyes with his hand, but images of a man touching her, on top of her, flashed before his eyes and he felt his insides shredded into pieces.

His heart was aching like never before. It was so painful that he gripped Senbonzakura tightly as if trying to anchor himself.

It gnawed at him. Byakuya could almost hear the man's cry of release when the man hit his climax. There was no way to stop his imaginations. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Rukia..." Byakuya called into the desolate woods and felt his heart broke.

* * *

Rukia thought Byakuya still looked very severe. Over the past month, he barely talked to her. She knew it must have something to do with the night that she failed to show up in their meeting.

She had told him the week after that day that the tea house was busy and the mama-san had asked her to stay. He did not meet her eyes.

'He must be disgusted with me.' Rukia sighed to herself.

Sometimes Rukia thought it was unfair. Why was it acceptable for men to buy their pleasure, while women were looked down for selling their bodies? It was a business transaction and it had always been such for the rare occasions that Rukia had to sleep with a stranger. Byakuya himself must have bought the services of the courtesans before, and now he turned his nose up to her. It wasn't enough that she fell in love with an impossible man, but that man had to despise her.

Rukia slashed viciously at Byakuya, letting out some of her frustrations, knowing that Byakuya would have no trouble parrying her attacks. He pushed hard against her blade and Rukia somersaulted backward, landing neatly down on the ground. Byakuya sheathed his sword.

"You are ready." He said, colder than ever.

Rukia eyed him up and down, still quite annoyed at his treatment to her.

"Are you saying this to get rid of me?" Rukia asked in slight anger.

She saw Byakuya's shoulder tensed up briefly but he ignored her. He simply instructed her to sit down again.

"Concentrate and go to your inner world." He stood stiffly in front of her.

Rukia glared at him but complied.

"Unlike bankai, every shinigami had the potential to achieve their shikai if their minds are strong enough, if they understood themselves well enough, if they knew the roles they played in the world, if they had the ability to converse with their zanpakutou." Byakuya continued in his monotone, "Become one with your zanpakutou and you will hear its name."

"Now, close your eyes." Rukia was startled by his tone of voice. Byakuya had sounded almost gentle.

Rukia met his eyes, but they were unreadable. She tried to stare into his soul but he reached out a hand and closed her eyes for her.

"You are strong enough, Rukia. Go find your zanpakutou now." His words sent her tumbling into her inner world.

Once again, Byakuya waited for her, but this time, instead of staying close by her, he walked away from her and looked up into the sky. It was a full moon again. How fitting. Like their first meeting, but how differently he felt now. Byakuya had no time to dwell on his thoughts though. Rukia's reiatsu flared up, and he whirled around just in time to see Rukia stood up.

"Mae, Sode no Shirayuki."

Byakuya watched in breathless wonder as Rukia held her zanpakutou in front of her and her left hand placed on her upper arm. She turned her zanpakutou counter-clockwise until the tip of her sword was pointed downward. A white ribbon extended from the pommel of her sword and the blade and tsuba turned into pure white as she turned her blade. A wave of cold air surrounded the area. She looked so pure, so beautiful to him.

Rukia admired her blade, a smile on her face. It was beautiful. It was the first thing she had that she felt truly proud. Her zanpakutou had told her that this was an ice zanpakutou and Rukia loved the idea. She slashed the air with Sode no Shirayuki and felt the difference in power between her shikai and a normal zanpakutou. When she touched the ground with it, she observed that it had the ability to freeze the ground.

"Why?"

Byakuya's voice drew her back to the real world. She turned around to find him suddenly standing close to her. Too close, actually. He was less than an arm away. He had never come so close to her before.

"Why? Why what?" Rukia asked him, confused and sheathed her sword. Why was her zanpakutou named Sode no Shirayuki? Why was it an ice zanpakutou? Why did she achieve shikai? None of them were reasonable questions.

"Why did you sleep with him?" Byakuya said accusingly.

Rukia felt a lump formed in her throat. She really didn't want to talk to him about that day.

"I told you before. It is the nature of my profession." Rukia turned her back to him, but Byakuya flash stepped in front of her.

"No. You are a geisha, not a courtesan." The intensity in his eyes burned her.

"But sometimes I had to do it. There wasn't enough courtesans that day and..."

"It was a Tuesday!" Byakuya interrupted her.

Rukia had never heard him raised his voice at her before. He had balled his hands too. Rukia took a step backward.

"You knew!" He lowered his head and seemed to struggle with containing his emotion, but failed, "You knew I would be here."

Byakuya's voice broke a little and it scared Rukia even more than hearing him raised his voice.

"Don't tell me that it was so busy that there wasn't other girls." He said quietly.

"There were other girls." Rukia answered softly and truthfully.

"Then why?" Byakuya took a step toward her.

"I had done it before." Rukia saw him flinched visibly, "The other geishas...the younger girls...I don't want them to go through the same life that I had."

His silence only made her feel even more melancholy. Rukia took a deep breath and continued.

"I want them to have a better life than I will ever have." She looked at him in earnest, "At least one day, when they find someone they love, they won't be accused of being tainted."

"Are you telling me that you did it for others?" Byakuya voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Yes." Rukia looked at him sadly now.

"Then what about me?" Rukia was taken aback by his question.

"You?"

"Yes. Don't you think I have feelings?" He grasped her chin with his fingers gently.

"I don't understand, Byakuya-sama." Rukia said. Half of her was afraid, the other half of her was unwilling to label the other emotion.

"It's just Byakuya." He said softly, "I love you, Rukia. What are you going to say about that?"

Byakuya pulled her completely toward him and pressed his lips against hers.

Byakuya enveloped her in his arms, and Rukia encircled her arms around his waist. He gently nibbled at her lips asking her for entrance, and she allowed him. He deepened the kiss. It was sweet. It was tender. Neither had experienced a kiss like this before. It wasn't just lust. It was filled with love, with emotions. Finally they broke away. Rukia laid her head against his chest, savoring each other's company.

"I love you, Rukia." Byakuya repeated himself, his hand caressing her face.

Rukia felt her world shattered in that instant. She wanted to cry in happiness. She also wanted to cry in despair. Rukia's grip tightened around his body briefly before suddenly letting go and step back out of his arms.

"But I don't love you. We shouldn't see each other anymore." Rukia turned around and disappeared out of his sight.

Byakuya knew that he could easily catch up on her but he was rooted to the ground.

* * *

"Hey. Little one." The noble grabbed Rukia's hand, "I've never seen you before."

"I apologized, Matsushita-sama." The mama-san came rushing by.

"Many of my geishas are ill today. I have to borrow some girls from a friend. Although they are from the less glamorous houses and the rules aren't so _restricted_." The mama-san stressed on the restricted, "They are still pleasing enough. This one in particular is one of her finest girls. She can dance very well."

"Ah..." Matsushita still had her hand, and he leered at her up and down, "Why don't you give us a dance now."

The customers in the room cheered, and Rukia could only obey. She got up and performed a short dance. She was dressed in a much finer kimono today. The owner of the Tsubasa had looked down on the clothing they brought and decorated them in perfumed robes, put them on heavier makeup than they normally wore in their much smaller and lower class tea house. Rukia saw Matsushita and the mama-san speaking to each other in a lowered voice, and pointing at her from time to time. Eventually they seemed to settle on something and the noble smiled in satisfaction. Rukia finished her dance and rejoined the party to serve tea again. But her hands were once again seized by Matsushita and he pulled her roughly toward him.

"Now, shall we adjourn to somewhere private? Or I've heard tales the the commoners do not mind doing it in public?" The customers all laughed, and Rukia saw her friends look at her with worries and compassion.

"Mama-san, I'm only lent here as a geisha tonight." Rukia said firmly.

"I will compensate my old friend, Rukia." The Mama-san smiled, "You must understand."

"Wouldn't it be more profitable for you to sell him one of your own courtesans?" Rukia still showed no signs of giving in.

"You should be honored that I chose you!" Matsushita shouted angrily.

Rukia gave him a condescending stare.

"I have more respects for commoners than the likes of you."

Matsushita grew even angrier and his gripped on her wrist turned to vice. Rukia knew it would leave bruises.

"I will teach a street rat like you your place." He snarled and pushed Rukia to his friends.

At his command, several of his friends came up to grab Rukia's arms, but Rukia was much faster and slipped out of their grasps.

"Damn trash. You whore..." Matsushita stood up.

Rukia slapped him hard in the face, but instantly regretted her outburst as another man came up from behind her while she was not looking and caught both of her arms. Matsushita nursed his cheek in his hand and looked at Rukia in anger.

"Get this one to another room. NOW!" He shrieked.

And then the whole building shook with a terrifying reiatsu. Everyone fell to the floor and cowered. Most of them struggled for breath. Matsushita even had foam coming out of his mouth.

Rukia paid no attention to him or anyone else. She also fell on her knees but she fared much better than the others. It was a familiar reiatsu, yet she had never experienced it in such a magnitude and with rage as its undercurrent.

"You are a shame in the ranks of nobility, Matsushita." Rukia heard the deep baritone said.

He reigned in his reiatsu. Everyone started gasping for air and turned to bow to the man standing by the shoji door. Matsushita wiped his mouth and scrambled up to a kneeling position and placed his head on the floor quivering with fear and said in a trembling voice.

"Ku...Ku...Kuchiki-sama."

Rukia remained motionless on the floor, staring into the the grey eyes of a man she thought she knew. She had not seen him since that night two months ago. Along with the scarf he often wore, she noticed the kenseikan, the symbol of nobility, sat in his hair, and dressed in a white sleeveless haori that she had never seen him wore. He looked regal and powerful.

She knew what it meant by the name Matsushita had just uttered. Kuchiki, the four noble houses. Byakuya, Kuchiki Byakuya. She should have known. Byakuya was not a common name, and Kuchiki Byakuya was the most famous captain in the Goteijusantai. There were many other clues. Like after the first time they met, her friend had told her about his visit in Tsubasa that very same evening. It was more like she blinded to herself from seeing the truth and pretended that she didn't know his identity.

Footsteps were heard coming from the hallway.

"Byakuya!" A white haired man appeared next to him, "What was that? What happened?"

Rukia lowered her head when the white haired man turned to survey the room.

"It was nothing, Ukitake-senpai." Byakuya said dismissively.

Ukitake looked at him questioningly, but didn't press the matter seeing that Byakuya didn't look incline to answer his question.

"Shall we go back? The others were worried about what happened." Ukitake motioned for them to leave.

"No, please excuse me. I have found a companion for tonight." Byakuya said, "You, come with me."

Ukitake was surprised and took another look at the room once more. He noticed a small girl in the middle of the room stood up and came by the door. Byakuya turned to leave first and the girl followed. Ukitake detected that girl was hiding her reiatsu and he wondered if that was why Byakuya had chosen the girl.

* * *

"Kuchiki-sama, are you sure you choose this girl over..." Byakuya cut the mama-san off.

"Yes. Leave." He turned his back to her, "Now."

The mama-san gave Rukia one last glance before she closed the shoji door. She had brought Byakuya and Rukia to a elaborately decorated room. It was finer than anything Rukia had ever seen, but Byakuya didn't look impressed. Rukia sat on the futon in the middle of the room, but Byakuya had not sit down, he just stood in front of her in silence. Rukia stared at the hem of his hakama, not sure what to say, and saw him moved away from her. He returned with a candle and settled down in front of her. His knees touching hers slightly. Without any words, he lifted her hands and examined her wrists. Rukia saw his jaw clenched upon seeing the beginning of a bruises. Byakuya used kidou to heal her. He continued holding her hands after they were healed and placed their hands on his knees, making Rukia leaning slightly towards him.

Rukia looked at their joined hands and steeled herself.

"Kuchiki-sama, would you like me to undress you now."

Byakuya's tightened his grip but not enough to cause her any pain. He stared at her before speaking up.

"Go take off your makeup first." He instructed her, and Rukia moved to the other side of the room.

She removed the white paste and the ornaments in her hair. She also took off the layered heavy kimono and let them dropped to the ground, until she was only standing in the inner most layer. All the while Byakuya watched her without any expression on his face. She approached him again.

"Remove my kenseikan." Rukia complied again.

She sat up on her knees, her arms hovered above his head and handled the valuable hair piece gingerly. She placed them on the floor after she's done. His hair had felt smooth and soft to her touch.

"Now you may take off my clothes." Byakuya stood up.

Rukia stood up also to remove his scarf first. She had heard of it before, ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu. It alone could buy several rows of houses in the Seireitei. It was the signature piece for the head of the Kuchiki clan. She folded it and placed it next to the kenseikan. She pushed off his captain's haori, and her hands went next to undo his white obi. It also fell onto the floor unattended. Rukia untied the belt connecting his hakama pants of the shihakusho and it dropped to the floor. Rukia took off his black kosode fore him and he was left in his white shitagi. The kimono style white undergarment outlined his form perfectly. Byakuya stood motionless in front of her throughout the process. He continued to stare at her but she avoided his eyes.

Rukia's hands trembled slightly as she reached around his waist to untie the cord of his shitagi at his back. Her arms around him like an embrace and Byakuya stopped her from completely untying his robe. He trapped her in his arms.

"Are you always so afraid when undressing your customers?" Byakuya said against her ear.

Rukia's body shook at the word, customer. His words were intentionally hurtful, meant to provoke her.

"Are you displeased, Kuchiki-sama?" She ignored his provocation and answered in a meek tone.

Byakuya grabbed her shoulders and their eyes finally met fully since they entered the room.

"What's the matter with you, Rukia?" Byakuya said urgently, "Why are you treating me like this? Why are you acting so submissively?"

"You have bought me tonight." Rukia answered in an apathetic voice, "I'm only doing my job."

Byakuya let go of her then. His arms fell by his side.

"Then I declared that you have fulfilled your service." Byakuya straightened up, "You are free to leave."

Rukia stared at his chest and made to leave the room.

"Before you go." Byakuya interrupted her, "Answer one question."

"Don't you have any feelings for me?" Byakuya said.

Rukia looked at the tatami floor.

"No."

"Liar."

This time Byakuya kissed her with passion. His lips were bruising and he let out all his love and desire for her. Rukia tried her best to not respond to him, but Byakuya placed his thumb on her chin and pressed it hard to force her mouth open for him. She moaned, when their tongues met and kissed back. She had wanted to kiss him. After that evening in the woods she wanted to kiss him again so much. He tasted sweet tonight, like peaches.

Rukia felt herself pushed down to the the floor and broke away from him. Byakuya face hovered before her. She looked into his slate grey eyes and saw the tenderness in them.

"I waited for you in the woods the past two months." Byakuya said against her lips, "Now, no more lies. Why didn't you come? "

"I was afraid of what might happen if I saw you again." Rukia said honestly.

"Why would you be afraid?" Byakuya put his forehead against hers.

"Because I love you." Rukia whispered and pressed her lips to his again.

"I know..." Byakuya smiled.

She felt him smiled against her and pulled away to look at the rare sight. For the past two years they've known each other, she had never seen him smile. Rukia looked at him in wonder and marveled at how a smile could transform a person. Byakuya looked content and he pulled her into his arms. They stayed like that until Rukia spoke up again.

"Nothing will come of this."

Byakuya's arms wrapped around her tighter. He couldn't disagree, no matter how much he wanted to, because he knew it to be true. There was no way the elders would ever accept her. If Rukia were a commoner, there might still be some chance, but she was a geisha, a courtesan at times. Byakuya had never thought that there would be something that he could not win in a fight, but this time he lost before the fight even begun.

"You don't know that...and we still have some time." Byakuya said feebly and he felt the vibrations of Rukia's body as she laughed.

"It's been over a year since the miai started. How long do you think you can put it off?" He couldn't believe that Rukia found the situations funny, "Was that list really so long? Kuchiki Byakuya-sama."

Byakuya looked into her eyes. Her beautiful, unique, violet eyes.

"I'm sorry that I never told you about myself."

Rukia sighed.

"I always knew on some level, but yes, you should have told me." Rukia put her head on his shoulder, "Then I would not fall in love with you, and we don't have to suffer through this."

Byakuya took her hands in his gently.

"Do you really think that?" Byakuya asked softly.

"Yes."

"But I knew who you are all along, and I still fell in love with you." Byakuya laced their hands and brushed her hand softly with his thumb.

"If I knew who you were, I would have stayed away from you completely." Rukia tilted her head to look at their joined hands.

"Then I'm glad that I didn't tell you."

"You would rather condemn us both to a life of longing?"

"Yes." Byakuya said, and Rukia smiled ruefully to herself.

It was easy for him to say. When he leave her, he would return to his world where at least hope and bright future still remain, but she could only look out of her window, forever trapped in this world that he was not in. Yet she said nothing. She would not burden him with her own melancholy.

"Byakuya, tonight..." Rukia kissed his nape.

"Hm?" Byakuya was enjoying the sensation she was eliciting from his body and his hands started untying the sash holding the last of her garment together.

"If you didn't buy me..." Rukia parted the front of his undergarment and kissed his exposed skin, but Byakuya brought her face up to meet his once again.

"Rukia, I would not force you into anything you don't want." Byakuya said and Rukia smiled at his show of affection.

"That was not what I was going to ask." Rukia's continued to pushed his clothes from his torso and bent to kiss his nipple.

Byakuya sucked in a breath at the sensation of her warm wet mouth against his sensitive skin. He laid down on the futon bringing Rukia with him. She continued licking him until she bit one of his nipple softly. Byakuya closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. In a flash he sat up to rip her clothes away, and flipped her down beneath him. He took one hungry look at her before kissing her deeply and pressed his body fully against hers. They both moaned uncontrollably when their naked flesh touched. Byakuya placed soft kisses down her jaw line until he reached her breasts and proceeded to show her what she did to his body when she was on top. Rukia let out another moan when he sucked the tip of her breast into his mouth and promptly forgot what she was going to say.

He slid down against her body and parted her legs and flicked his tongue against her core. Rukia's body trembled with pleasure. Byakuya smiled to himself and took anther lick. Usually women pleasured his body, but tonight, he wanted to bring Rukia pleasure. He pressed his lips against her and drank in her desire. He was enjoying himself, too. Rukia rolled her eyes back at the sensation.

"Well? You were saying?" Byakuya said against her wet center and slid his tongue inside.

Rukia could barely put together a coherent thought with him down there. She mewed when she felt him started to massage her with his fingers too. She decided not to even attempt answering his question when he took her bud into his mouth and started sucking it. She was disappointed when he suddenly pulled away of her.

"Byakuya..." Rukia protested weakly when he came up to face her again.

Byakuya smiled leisurely at her and slowly licked his fingers clean in front of her eyes. Rukia pulled him back into a kiss and tasted herself in his mouth. Byakuya became distracted as he felt Rukia wrapped her fingers around his erection and her thighs around his waist. He was startled when she flipped him onto his back and straddled him. Rukia sat on his thighs and traced her hands lazily along his proud length. Byakuya gave a gentle thrust into the air with his hip and his hands gripped her thighs tightly trying to move her body toward his hardened member. Rukia looked into his eyes though. Violet and grey ones were both filled with unfulfilled desire and love.

"Would this room be used?" Rukia said softly.

Byakuya's hands loosened slightly on her thigh and he tried to figure out what she meant with his lust hazed mind, he couldn't think clearly when all his blood was rushing southwards with her giving him those tantalizing squeezes with her hands.

"Would you bring another woman here if you didn't see me tonight?" Upon seeing Byakuya's lack of understanding, Rukia asked him more clearly.

Unexpectedly, a lazy smile blossomed on his face. He ran his hands along her thighs up to her hips.

"Jealous? Rukia." She felt himself hardened even more.

She yelped in surprise when he flipped her over and pinned her on the floor, both her arms caught in his left hand. His right hand moved to lift her hip up and he thrust into her. They cried out each other's name. Rukia gasped for breathes and Byakuya shut his eyes tightly willing himself not to plunge in and out of her like he desperately wanted to. She was tighter than he expected. Rukia was experienced but she did not engage in such activity very often after all.

"You didn't answer my question." Rukia licked his earlobe and shifted her hips a little signaling to him that she had adapted to his size.

Byakuya rocked his hips gently and placed a gentle kiss on her lips again.

"No, I wouldn't." He stared into her eyes so that she could read the sincerity in his eyes, "I already left the party with the other captains and was leaving for the forest when I felt your reiatsu."

Rukia felt a tear rolled down her face and they made love.

* * *

"Byakuya." Ginrei stopped his grandson who was walking down the hallway, "The elders told me that you have not yet given them an answer about your choice."

It has been more than two years since Ginrei informed Byakuya of the clan's wish for him to marry and produce an heir. Byakuya knew that he had probably dragged the whole process on too long and the elders patience with him was at an end.

"I have not found anyone suitable yet." Byakuya replied.

He had to sit through a meeting with another woman again tonight, but all he wanted was to finish the dinner as fast as he could. He had been sneaking out of his own house to see Rukia for the past six months any chance he got. There was another reason why he wanted to see her more than anything else tonight because they had an argument last night. Byakuya had expressed on several occasions that he wanted to buy Rukia out of the tea house and settled her down in a house that he had prepared for her.

Rukia had refused.

Byakuya couldn't understand why, and he pressed her on the issue many many times. Rukia knew that any contact of her with other men threw him into a jealous rage but yet she would not leave her profession as a geisha. She had told the mama-san that she would no longer sell her body and that appeased him a little, but he still couldn't stand the idea of other men looking at her or imagining her in any way. She belonged to him. He wanted Rukia to only dance for him.

They were working on the second dance of Rukia's shikai when he brought up his offer setting her up in the house once more last night but Rukia declined again and refused to give him her reasons. He had departed with displeasure immediately afterwards.

He wanted to tell her that he was sorry that he had left without even a goodbye. Byakuya's mind wandered to the many different ways that he could apologize to her and closed his eyes pictured Rukia's violet eyes shining with pleasure and lust.

"Are you listening, Byakuya?" Ginrei frown at his grandson.

"I'm sorry, Jii-sama. I was thinking about my division's business." Byakuya lied smoothly.

"As I was saying, the girl tonight was not of noble blood." Ginrei picked up from where he had left off.

"Not of noble blood?" Byakuya stopped in his track.

"Yes, you must have heard of it. Ayanokouji-dono lost his daughter many years ago. Luckily he still had a son to inherit the family name. After he fell ill, he took a liking to the maid who took care of him and adopted her as his daughter." Ginrei asked.

The Ayanokouji family was second only to the four noble house, but its head of house had been ill for a very longtime and had not shown up in any of the social occasions between nobles.

"The elders of course preferred you not select anyone without noble blood, but you have left them with not so many choices anymore." Ginrei sighed.

Byakuya could feel that he was racing against time now. If he persisted any longer, the elders would very likely select a wife for him. He either picked one he could tolerate quickly or let the elders decide. Byakuya had resigned himself that he would never love his wife no matter what, but the situation was that he could not even make Rukia his mistress in public. It was generally frown upon, but there were nobles who had mistresses and made it known publicly. Some others sought the company of prostitutes even after they were married. But that was different. Physical pleasures and romances were two different things. People would wonder at his fascination for a prostitute and eventually they would know that the cold and impassive Kuchiki Byakuya was in love with her. It would be bad for the Kuchiki clan and it would be worse for Rukia. That was why he wanted to set Rukia up secretly at somewhere discreet. If only she would listen to him.

"I understand." Byakuya stated simply.

They arrived in front of the room where the woman would be waiting for him. The servants opened the shoji door for him and Byakuya walked into the room. The woman had bowed deeply to him when the door was opened. Byakuya sat down on the other end of the room.

"Ayanokouji-san, this is Kuchiki Byakuya, my grandson." Ginrei said.

The woman raised her head and Byakuya felt blood drained from his face and he stared at the woman in shock.

* * *

Rukia smiled when she caught the scent of sakura blossoms and leaned backward into the waiting arms of Byakuya. She now knew why he always smelt of sakura. He had demonstrated his shikai to her and her heart almost broke at the beauty of it. Sode no Shirayuki would often talk to her about Senbonzakura. Apparently the two zanpakutous had become soul mates.

Something was wrong though. His reiatsu felt agitated and Rukia turned around to ask him.

Byakuya didn't answer. He only took her hand and drew her to her futon. He sat down, bringing her with him. Rukia frowned at him.

"You don't think I would let you get off so easily after how you reacted last night..." Rukia stopped herself when she saw the tormented look in Byakuya's eyes.

"Byakuya?" She touched his face with her fingers. Something was very wrong.

He simply laid his head in her lap, and closed his eyes. Rukia just sat there watching him, after a while, his breathing became even and Rukia presumed that he was asleep. He was facing toward her stomach, naturally seeking her warmth. Watching him slept so peacefully in her embrace tugged at her heart painfully. Rukia smiled sadly and looked out into the sky. It was a starless night and the moon was no where in sight.

She had a feeling that she knew the reason to his distress.

* * *

Byakuya met her for the second time the next day. The elders were overjoyed that he finally showed a semblance of interest to a candidate, even though they were not completely satisfied with his choice.

"Kuchiki-sama." The Ayanokouji woman said in her docile and refined voice.

She raised her head and Byakuya once again marveled at the level of resemblance. Yet he also could find the different nuances in just one simple glance.

"Ayanokouji Hisana, I understood that you were originally from the Rukongai."

"Yes." Hisana nodded her head meekly.

The most striking difference between Hisana and Rukia was their spirit. Rukia was lively and Hisana was quiet. Hisana was also much more feminine in general. Her eyes were softer. Her figure more curvy. Her voice was gentler and higher. Her reiryoku was weak. She was taller than Rukia. She looked more mature as well. Yet she also seemed frailer than Rukia despite Rukia's hard life outside of Seireitei.

Byakuya looked into her dark blue eyes, not violet. He knew he could regret what he was about to ask her, but he needed to know.

"Tell me about you life in Rukongai."

* * *

Rukia sighed to herself. She had not seen Byakuya at all since that day. She had woken up to find herself tucked under the comforter and on her futon. Nothing indicated that he had been there the night before.

There was only one thing that would cause him so much distress, his marriage. Rukia sighed again. It was about time. Their stolen moments together were about to come to an end. Either his clan had given him the ultimatum or that the Kuchiki elders had selected on for him. Rukia secretly wished that it was the latter because she also couldn't help feeling jealous at the woman chosen by Byakuya.

She would ask him today. He should be here anytime now. Rukia decided to start practicing and aimed at a nearby tree.

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren." Rukia felt a sense of pride when she successfully performed her second attack.

The ice started breaking down when she felt Byakuya's reiatsu flared out.

"Chire, Senbonzakura." Byakuya suddenly appeared in front of her eyes.

He commanded the flower petals toward her. Rukia shunpoed out of the way. She knew the flower petals could attack faster but for practice, Byakuya always paced himself to match her speed.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro." Rukia drew a circle on the ground when Senbonzakura came flying toward her again.

The flower petals were encased in the ice pillar.

"Hm. Your speed at executing your first dance has improved." Byakuya stepped near the ice pillar.

Byakuya waved the hilt of his sword, and Senbonzakura shattered the ice pillar reforming back to his blade. Rukia sheathed her sword.

"Will you talk to me now?" Rukia stood in front of him, tilting her head a little so that she could read his expression, "Has a bride been chosen for you?"

Byakuya looked away but Rukia touched his face with both of her hands, turning him back to face her.

"Will you leave the tea house and settle down else where?"

Rukia sighed. He did not answer her question but she could tell that it was a yes.

"You are not supposed to answer a question with another question." Rukia placed her head on his chest.

"Nor have you answered mine." Rukia loved the rumbled of his chest when he spoke.

"I told you many times before." Rukia closed her eyes.

"Will you at least tell me why?"

"You don't have to know, like I don't have to know about your future wife."

Byakuya pulled away from her embrace.

"Rukia, I'm getting married in one month and you still wouldn't tell me why you don't want to see me anymore?" Byakuya said with a slight hint of anger.

Rukia turned her back to him, and Byakuya became even more incensed. He let out all his confusion and his frustrations on her then. He grabbed her roughly and turned her to face him.

"Then I will tell you about my wife."

He did not raise his voice. He did not curse. He did not even look angry. But Rukia could tell from his trembling hands and his impossibly cold voice that he was beyond furious.

"No, Byakuya, don't. I don't want to hear this." Rukia struggled against his grip but he was too strong.

"She looked exactly like you." Byakuya said in a dead like voice, "I, yes, I, chose her. I chose a wife who looks so much like you so that I can summon the will to have sex with her."

Rukia froze and she felt his grip loosened.

"That is disgusting." She swiped his hands away and took a step back.

She looked at him in disbelief. She felt hurt and betrayed.

"You want to know why I refuse to become you mistress?" Rukia also said in a quiet voice. Her eyes hollow.

Byakuya flinched at the word mistress. He never used that word to her, although they both knew that was what he had meant when he offered to buy her out of the tea house.

"Yes, tell me." Byakuya said equally coldly, "Tell me exactly why and how much more disgusting it would be for you to sleep with a married man than a random customer."

Rukia balled her fists.

"You just don't understand, do you?" Rukia finally shouted at him, "I want you to have a happy, normal married life!"

Rukia started to break down. She couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes from falling down anymore.

"I want you to forget about me and get on with your life." Rukia was still shouting at him angrily.

"How can you ask me to forget about you?" Byakuya's voice was still cold, but he could not completely hide the turmoil inside him, "Can you forget about me? Forget all that have happened between us? Am I that unimportant to you?"

"No! Of course not. You will always be the most important part of my life. But this was supposed to be a dream for me, and a short love affair for you." Rukia said weakly.

"How could you say that, Rukia. I love you and I don't want us to be apart." Byakuya took a step toward her trying to close the gap between them, but Rukia stepped backward again.

"And now you condemn us both. What are you going to do when you look at your wife and her face reminded you of me?" Rukia's voice was filled with pain, "Do you think it would make me feel better knowing that you found a replacement?"

"She was not a replacement, and it was not that simple." Byakuya's voice lost its coldness and Rukia looked up to find a tortured expression in his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Rukia..." Byakuya struggled to find the right words to say, "She's you sister."

Rukia felt disoriented. How could she have a sister? Even if she did, her sister couldn't possibly be a noble. At Rukia's lack of understanding, Byakuya explained.

"Her name is Hisana. According to her, no one would take both of you in and you were starving. She thought that people would have more mercy for a lone baby and abandoned you in Rukongai. She was later taken in as a maid by a noble family. The head of the house adopted her as his daughter because he lost his daughter a long time ago."

Rukia suddenly felt very tired. She wanted to close her eyes and not think about the implications of what Byakuya had just said. She shouldn't feel such envy for her sibling. She's supposed to be happy for her sister for marrying a man like Byakuya. She didn't want to think about what would happen if their situations were reversed.

"Did you tell her about me?" Rukia's voice was so quiet.

"No."

"Good." Rukia felt relieved, "I don't want her to bear the guilt. Someone did take me in after all. Just not the kind of person she was hoping for. But now I'm glad that she looks like me."

Byakuya looked at her incredulously.

"If she looks so much like me, then maybe you will learn to love her one day."

Byakuya seized her hand and forced her to look at him.

"No, never. She could never be you. She may look like you, but you are different persons." His eyes were hard, "Besides, I hated her, and I will continue to hate her."

"Why? Why do you choose her if you hate her so?" Rukia looked at him in shock.

"Because she should be punished. Because I hate her for making you unreachable for me. She will never be loved." Byakuya's voice was cold and hard.

"No, please, Byakuya." Rukia pleaded with him, "Please don't torture yourself and blame her for what could not be changed."

"Why do you always put others' happiness in front of your own?" Byakuya accused her, "Now it will be your choice. Become my mistress and I will choose someone else, or let Hisana take the blame and we all live in pain."

"I..." Rukia was torn.

She did not want to come between other's family. Like she said, she wanted Byakuya to build a happy family. One like she never had. A father, a mother, children and all of them live happily together under the sun. Byakuya and her could never have that. They would have to be secretive. If people found out they would laugh at them. If they ever had children they would not receive the proper recognitions they deserved. Rukia steeled herself. Hisana might have some difficult years with Byakuya, but Rukia knew that Byakuya was not a bad man. He was not a naturally hateful person. He would eventually forgive her. Maybe one day he would learn to love her or at the very least not hate her. They would have children and everyone would be happy. Time would wash away the pain both of them were feeling now. It was for the best.

"Come, help me practice. I still couldn't quite master my second dance, and we only have one month left." Rukia pulled out her zanpakutou.

Byakuya felt like she had just stabbed him with it.

* * *

Rukia laid out her futon, although she knew she wouldn't get any sleep tonight. Byakuya's wedding was tomorrow.

Byakuya had not brought up the topic of her becoming his mistress after both of them said all that they could say to each other that night one month ago.

They had said goodbye two days ago. It wasn't tearful. It wasn't dramatic. It was almost peaceful.

They had parted ways forever, back to their separate worlds, as it should be.

"Rukia." She froze and turned around.

He shouldn't be here. It was their agreement, that he would never step foot into here, not her room, not the tea house, ever again.

But Rukia had no time to react. Byakuya simply scooped her up bridal style and shunpoed out of her room.

* * *

Byakuya was too fast. She had never seen him shunpoed so fast during their practices. She only caught a glimpse of an elegant zen garden before she was carried into a room.

"This is my private wing. No one will come here." Byakuya said without any expression after putting her down.

This was the Kuchiki estate, and she's inside a room that has a large futon laid out in the middle. Judging by the furniture inside, it was decorated for two persons. Rukia understood what this room was for.

"I shouldn't be here." Rukia made to leave, but Byakuya stopped her.

"I was in my old room when I saw the moon outside." Byakuya held her gently in his arms, "Do you remember? The first time we met. It was a full moon too."

"Of course I remember." Rukia said into his chest.

"One last night, please, Rukia." Byakuya whispered into her ear.

"But this room..." It felt wrong, in the room that would belong to her sister.

Byakuya stopped her with a kiss. His hands were already parting her night yukata. Her skin glowed softly in the moonlight.

"I want you here in this room. Every night that I will be here, you are the one I want to think of."

Byakuya took off his own clothes and pressed her to the wall. He kissed her neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"I can't do this to..." Byakuya cut her off again by slithering his hands down to her center, slipping his fingers into her wetness.

"What did you say?" Byakuya whispered hotly against her ear and replaced his fingers with his hardened member.

He pressed slowly into her, savoring the sensation of her walls parting around him. Rukia moaned loudly, vaguely registering that he did not even close the shoji door. All thoughts were gone from her mind as soon as he started pumping into her against the wall. Rukia found the idea of them making love in a semi-exposed setting erotic and she came quickly. Her walls gripped his member tightly and she shuddered in ecstasy. Her breath erratic.

Byakuya only gave a a small smile and walked into the centre of the room. Rukia bit her lips stopping herself from making any more noise as she felt him shifted insider her while he carried her. He sat down in front of the mirror, making Rukia straddled him. He bent forward to lick her nipple and took one into his mouth. Rukia massaged his head, slipping her fingers through his soft hair, urging him on. She yelped a little as he bit down.

"We can make as much noise as we want. This area is far away from everyone and..." Byakuya blew hot air on her sensitized nipple, "I don't care if anyone hear us."

He helped Rukia moved her hips up and down with his hands. Then he turned Rukia around and entered her again from behind.

"Rukia, look at the mirror." He commanded her.

Rukia opened her eyes and stared into the mirror in front of her. Byakuya touched, kissed, and licked anywhere he could reach and Rukia moved against him. The image of them making love burned into the back of her eyes. She would see them like this for the rest of her life. Byakuya quickened his pace and eventually Rukia's walls constricted around him once more and he felt himself released into her.

They panted heavily. Their skins cooling down in the night wind. Rukia steadied her breath and turned to look into Byakuya's misty grey eyes.

"I should go now."

Byakuya raised a hand to her chin and brought his lips down to caress hers again.

"I'm not done with you yet..." With that he pushed her on to the futon.

* * *

Rukia woke up. Her limps felt languid. Her body still tired. She sat up and whimpered softly when her hips came into contact with the silken material of the futon.

Byakuya had been insatiable last night. She lost count of how many times she cried out his name in her climax. In fact, she had chanted his name like a mantra. She blushed slightly thinking back to what they had done last night. They made love many times before but not like this. He had conquered her body again and again, in every possible positions he could think of. Her body was on pleasure overload and was so tired that she refused him, but he had persisted until she surrendered and begged him for more. He kept on going till the break of dawn.

Rukia turned to look at Byakuya. He was still sleeping peacefully. He must be exhausted too. Rukia quietly stood up wincing at her sore muscles and put on her sleeping yukata.

The room had smelt fresh and new when she entered it last night. Now, the scent of sex and he and her permeated the air.

She came to knelt by Byakuya and smiled when he leaned unconsciously toward her. She bent down to brushed her lips against his.

"Goodbye, Byakuya."

* * *

Byakuya always acted properly on the outside. He didn't treat her badly but neither did he treat her kindly. After the first couple of months in their married life, Hisana found that Byakuya never touched her except on the days that she would have the chance to become pregnant. He shunned her even more on Tuesday. Sometimes he would take a walk in the garden and not return to their room until well past midnight. Other times he would sat on the engawa and stared at the running river.

He had taught her not to make any noise during their sexual intercourse on their wedding night. His wife was virginal, as was expected of a noble's wife. When he broke her barrier and Hisana cried out in pain, he had told her to shut up. It was mechanical and after he was done, he simply went to sleep.

One day Hisana joined him on the engawa and touched him lightly. He swiped her hand away. She looked surprised and hurt.

"Don't ever touch me without permission." Byakuya gave her a condescending glare.

Hisana had looked scared. The fear on a face so alike Rukia's only made him wanted to hurt her more.

"I heard that you went out to look for your sister today."

"Yes, Byakuya-sama." Hisana answered.

"Don't bother." Hisana looked up in surprise, "I know where Rukia is."

Byakuya turned to face her, a cruel smile on his face.

"Have you never wondered why I chose you as my wife?"

Hisana stared at the floor and shook her head.

"Because you look exactly like Rukia." Byakuya watched she gave a start, "Yes, I love her."

Hisana's shoulders seemed to sink even more.

"Where do you think Rukia is, that I would not be able to take her here and make her my wife, when I'm at leisure to marry a commoner?"

Byakuya watched in satisfaction when she broke out into a sob as the realization hit her.

"Be glad that Rukia forgave you." Byakuya said.

The face that was so similar to Rukia's look up at him with a hint of hope. He crushed it immediately.

"But I never will."

He knew of only one way to stop the excrutiating pain to be separated from Rukia. He made Hisana suffered with him.

Byakuya moved inside Hisana.

He could hear the soft panting she made and glanced at her out of the corners of his eyes. She was biting her lips trying not to make a sound.

Her body was rounder and fuller. Byakuya told himself not to register the sensation of her body, but concentrate on thinking about Rukia.

Rukia...

Her hands caressing his back. Her small body rubbing against him. Her soft low moan of pleasure. Her back arching asking him for more. Her sweet taste in his mouth.

Byakuya thrust deeper and faster. He felt Hisana shuddered when she climaxed and he felt only annoyance. He wasn't pleasuring her. She shouldn't be the one who threw her head back in ecstasy. Byakuya shut his eyes tightly.

The image of Rukia came back to him and he came.

"Rukia..." Byakuya couldn't help himself and her name spilled from his lips.

He opened his eyes and saw tears filled in Hisana's dark blue eyes. Dark blue, not violet.

Byakuya felt disgusted with what he had done with the woman and pushed her away roughly. Hisana finally let out a sob, but Byakuya simply picked up his night yukata and started dressing. He stood up, and without another look back, he left for the bath house. He wanted to wash her away.

* * *

Five years had gone by before Rukia realized it.

She hadn't heard much gossip lately because she no longer worked as a geisha in the tea house. A few months after she said goodbye to Byakuya, she finally felt that she could no longer stand to smile at men without the chance of meeting Byakuya ever again. She left the tea house and lived by teaching dancing to the geishas.

Rukia lead a quiet life. It was not easy and she didn't always have enough food on her table, but she was content. Besides, it was fulfilling to give free lessons to children nearby on reading and writing.

Children. It reminded of the news she heard not so many months ago. An heir was born in the Kuchiki household. She initially felt dejected upon hearing the news but quickly regained herself and hoped that the child was healthy. She wondered if Byakuya was happy with the new born baby. The child would strengthen the bond between he and Hisana, and he would slowly put her behind his mind. He had moved on, maybe it's time for her to move on too.

"Rukia." She was brought out of her reverie by a familiar voice.

Rukia turned to find the mama-san of the tea house she used to belong to.

"It's good to see you, Rukia."

"It's good to see you, too." Rukia gave a little bow.

"Rukia, I know that you no longer work as a geisha or a courtesan..." Rukia knew exactly where this conversation was leading. It had happened many times before.

"I'm sorry, but no. Please find another girl." Rukia said determinedly. She had gave her the same answer every time. Normally the mama-san would leave at that.

"The situation is different this time, Rukia." The mama-san stopped her from leaving, "The customer asked for you."

"Me?" Rukia's eyes were wide.

"Yes, he offered a large sum of money for you. According to him, he recently came into a new business enterprise."

"No." Rukia shook her head, "I don't plan on going back to that profession."

"He told me to tell you that this is a marriage offer."

Rukia was stunned. She could not recall any of her previous customers that seemed likely to make that kind of request.

"If he really wanted to marry me, he could have just asked you for my address and come here himself."

At the mama-san's expression, Rukia sighed.

"You didn't tell him that I had left." The mama-san nodded, "So you sold me to him already?"

"Rukia-chan, please think more kindly of me." The mama-san said, "With the amount of money offered by the gentleman, I could retire tomorrow and still have money to spare for all the girls."

Rukia stared at her own hands. She was thinking about moving on. Maybe this would be an opportunity for her. Marry someone, and leave this place forever. Byakuya would never be able to find her in the sea of commoners. She had stayed in this place for their shared memories. It was not good for her.

Rukia nodded and left with the mama-san.

* * *

"You shouldn't be here." Rukia looked at him dumbly, "You should be with your wife and your son."

"The boy is with my grandfather now. This is exactly where I should be, and where I want to be." Byakuya said stoically and took her hands, lightly caressing them, "Haven't you heard? Hisana died in child birth months ago."

Rukia pulled her hands away. She felt like she should mourn for her sister, but she had never met her and she wasn't sure how to react to the news, especially that her husband was here with her now. She wasn't even sure what to say to him. Should she give him her condolences?

"Are you surprised to see me, Rukia?" Byakuya made her look up at him.

Rukia nodded. She had asked the mama-san what the customer tonight was like, the mama-san had told her that it was a middle age man. That fit the description of most of her customers before. Byakuya was nothing like a middle age man. He must have hired someone to do the business transaction.

He was now looking at her calculatingly.

"I heard that you have left here." He must have kept tab on her, "But I chose this place, for sentimental reasons."

Except for their first night and the last night together, so many things had happened between them in this room before. Rukia could almost see the ghosts of their bodies entertwined together in this very room. That was one of the reason she had to leave.

"I knew you would come after what the mama-san said to you. You always had a strange fascination with sacrificing yourself for others." Byakuya leaned into her, his face close enough that it was almost a kiss, "Or is there another man that you would rather marry."

He didn't wait for her answer before he kissed her fully on the mouth. They both craved for it. They both needed it. When they pulled apart, Byakuya pressed her body toward his.

"Never mind. I would never allow that." He said in a self-satisfied tone when he felt her body melted against his.

Rukia ran her fingers through the soft locks of his hair, just like she remembered and dreamt of every night. She took off the kenseikan.

"You think you own me, don't you?" Rukia took off his ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu next.

"Oh, but I do." He kissed her again, "You are mine now, completely mine."

"Why are you here?" Rukia tugged at his clothes.

"I told you, to marry you." Byakuya had swiftly rid her of her clothing and laid her on the futon bed.

Rukia stopped her hands and stared into his grey eyes.

"What do you mean? We can't possibly..."

"I have fulfilled my duty as the head of Kuchiki family by producing an heir." Byakuya stared into her beautiful violet eyes, the very ones that haunted his dreams, "I have fulfilled my role as a husband now that my wife is dead."

Rukia noticed for the first time tonight that Byakuya seemed completely relaxed.

"Let us go away together." Byakuya started undressing himself.

"Go away?"

"Yes, away from Seireitei, away from Rukongai, away from nobles, commoners, shinigamis, away from everyone." Byakuya said kissing her hands that came up to help him undressed, "We will live as husband and wife. Just Byakuya and Rukia."

Byakuya pressed his now nude body against hers and closed his eyes in satisfaction and missed the strange expression that passed through Rukia's eyes.

"I have it all planned out. I will tell you later."

Byakuya looked at her in lust. They had a lot of time that they needed to make up for.

* * *

"I love you, Byakuya." Rukia said softly after they were both sated and laid next to each other in the after glow of their love making, "I missed you so much."

"I'm here now...and you know that I will always I love you."Byakuya spooned her and sighed in happiness.

"Tell me about your plan?" Rukia murmured.

"I bought a small cottage discreetly far away from anything."

"Small cottage?" Rukia could not keep the amusement out of her voice, "I can't see you living in anywhere less than ten times the size of this tea house."

Byakuya chuckled.

"It's enough for the two of us, and perhaps a child or two when we..." He placed a hand over her abdomen, "It is very small and simple. And old, the windows had gaping holes."

"Then it will be cold during winter." Rukia snuggled up closer to him.

"It won't be if I could hold you like this every night." He placed a tender kiss on her shoulder.

"We cannot live on love alone, you know." Rukia put her hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I already buried a chest of gold in the farm..."

"I should have guessed that you would say that." Rukia commented dryly.

"That is just for emergency. We have some live stocks, and can trade with the farmers in the villages." Byakuya continued, speaking softly in her ear, painting their future for her.

"We will be the new comers. The handsome husband and his wife." Rukia closed her eyes, feeling sleep about to over take her, "You might be recognized though."

"No one would ever recognize me without the kenseikan and my scarf."

They both laughed at that.

Byakuya pulled the comforter up to cover both of them and wrapped his arms tighter around Rukia. He could feel her breathing even out.

"Rukia?"

"Hm?"

"I do hope you can cook though..."

She laughed softly before both of them drifted into sleep.

* * *

Byakuya stirred in his dream. Something was not right. Something was missing. He opened his eyes sleepily and noticed that it was still dark outside. It took a moment for him to realize that Rukia was no where to be found.

He sat up, alarmed and finally alert. Her side of the bed was already cold. She must have been gone for a while already. He looked around and found a piece of paper next to his pillow.

_Byakuya, you know that I love you truly and dearly, but I cannot let you abandon your life for me. You are now a father. Give the child the love he deserves. He will need you to guide him one day, and I wish he will grow up to be a man like his father. I must leave you now, but know that you will always be in my heart. Rukia._

Byakuya crumbled the note in his hand. He could not believe that Rukia would still choose to leave after all they had been through. He quickly dressed himself, and shunpoed outside.

There was one place that she would definitely go before she disappeared completely.

He push himself to his full speed.

* * *

Byakuya arrived at the edge of the forests and felt two reiatsu inside. One of them belonged to a hollow.

The hollow didn't feel strong. He was sure that Rukia would have no trouble taking care of it, but he had no time to ponder it because Rukia's reiatsu was weakening, fast.

* * *

Rukia was bloodied in several places. She was about to leave the clearing when she sensed the reiatsu of the hollow. It attacked her and she quickly parried it with her zanpakutou, but when it made contact with the tantacles of the hollow named Metastacia, her zanpakutou was destroyed. She still fought bravely with kidou. Unfortunately, the hollow was fast.

"Hehehehe. I think you would be very, very tasteful..." Metastacia moved swiftly to her back with its six limbs and shoot out with its tantacle to attack her.

Rukia jumped away.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens, Soren Sokatsu!" Rukia shouted.

Twin blue flames fired from her hands and blasted away two of its legs. Metastacia howled loudly.

"You bitch!" Metastacia shouted angrily and all its tantacles shoot out at once to attack her.

Rukia fell down to the ground when her shoulder were slashed brutally by Metastacia's tantacle. Then she felt it pierced her chest.

"Now...I'm going to possess your body." Metastacia laughed menacingly.

Rukia closed her eyes. She could feel her life leaving her body. She did not want the last thing she saw before her life ended to be the disgusting hollow in front of her.

She suddenly smelt something fragrant, and felt something...gentle, brushed against her cheek. Rukia opened her eyes to see Senbonzakura's petals surrounded her in gentle embrace, while cutting the hollow into pieces in Byakuya's rage.

The hollow wailed and was dissolved into nothingness.

Byakuya caught her in his arms.

She looked into his grey eyes.

"Rukia!" Byakuya tried to use kidou to heal the gaping wound in her chest.

"No..." Rukia said weakly and pushed his hands away, "It's too severe."

"I need to get you to the forth division." Byakuya said standing up.

Rukia coughed blood.

"It would be too late, Byakuya..." Rukia reached out to take his hand, "Just stay here with me, please."

Byakuya fell to his knees and buried his face against Rukia's neck. Her blood slowly sipped through, dyeing his clothes, his pure white scarf into the color of intense red.

"See? You still remember your ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu...That is where you belong, Byakuya. With the shinigamis, with your duties, not with me, never with me." Rukia touched his face, bringing it up to face her.

"Shh...don't speak, Rukia." Byakuya pressed his forehead to hers.

"I'm sorry, Byakuya, for making you go through all these pains." Rukia struggled with her words "Live, Byakuya. Promise that you will live."

"I promise." Byakuya looked at her violet eyes and choked back a sob.

"Thank you, for being here with me. I'm glad that the last thing I saw in this world, is you." Rukia closed her eyes.

"Rukia, don't leave..."Byakuya kissed her cheek softly.

"Byakuya..." Rukia's voice was fading, "Live like you've never met me."

Byakuya held her in his arms, and felt her reiatsu disappeared, felt her body went cold. He wasn't sure the weeping was coming from him or from Senbonzakura.

He blasted the ground open and placed her body inside. Deep enough so that she would never be disturbed. He covered the ground and stood there watching the full moon hanging in the sky.

It no longer gave him any peace, but felt more like a mockery. He met her on a beautiful night like this and now she was taken away.

* * *

At day break, he shunpoed back to the Kuchiki manor.

"Byakuya!" Ginrei found his grandson in his room and concerned laced in his voice when he spotted Byakuya's bloodied clothing on the floor, "Are you injured?"

"It was not my blood." Byakuya pointed at the discarded clothing to a servant, "Burn these."

Byakuya set the kenseikan on his head. He stared at the blood stained ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu for a moment. It needed to be cleaned. Silently, he picked up his captain's haori and put it on. Byakuya was about to leave the room when Ginrei stopped him, a note in his hand.

"Explain, Byakuya." Ginrei had found it in his room this morning, apparently left by his grandson.

"I cannot, Jii-sama." Byakuya said and took the note from Ginrei's hand, "Because it was never written. My duty in the Goteijusantai awaits me."

Byakuya lighted the note with a candle. He watched it turned into ashes and blown away by the wind.

Fins.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Long...it's much longer than I expected, but I couldn't find a suitable break point without making it a cliffhanger, so here you go, in one gigantic chapter. Hope you like it and finish it somehow.**

**Got the idea for this one from watching a murder detective drama the other day. The plot lines were completely unrelated except that someone died, but somehow it just popped into my mind...****This is obviously another AU. Needed to get this one out of my system before I get back to Since the Beginning. I think I definitely had my fill of AU after these two. Will go back to the usual SS setting if I had a good enough plot in the future.**

**Short AN because I don't want to get carpal tunnel syndrome. Review please~**


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